ChineseGrammarWiki/ancien/Chinese-Grammar-Wiki/MD/A2/48.mw.html

<p>The interjection 啊 (a) is often added to the end of sentences to add a tone of urgency, exclamation or excitement. However, the exact meaning often depends on context.</p>
<h2 id="啊-a-expressing-exclamation">啊 (a) Expressing Exclamation</h2>
<p>When used like this, 啊 (a) is placed at the end of a statement and has a tone of exclamation, excitement or enthusiasm. (In a lot of cases, the only English &quot;translation&quot; you can offer is an exclamation point.)</p>
<h3 id="examples">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>对 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="expl">Banging fist on table...</span><span class="pinyin">Duì <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">You're right!</span></li>
<li>这里 好 漂亮 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Zhèlǐ hǎo piàoliang <em>a</em>!</span><span class="trans">This place is so pretty! </span></li>
<li>你 家 真 大 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Nǐ jiā zhēn dà <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">Your house is so big.</span></li>
<li>学 中文 真 难 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Xué Zhōngwén zhēn nán <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">Learning Chinese is so hard!</span></li>
<li>好 香 <em>啊</em> ！什么东西 ？ <span class="pinyin">Hǎo xiāng <em>a</em>! Shénme dōngxi? </span><span class="trans">It smells great! What is it? </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="啊-a-expressing-certainty-or-urgency">啊 (a) Expressing Certainty or Urgency</h2>
<p>啊 (a) can also add a sense of certainty or urgency to a statement, sometimes with the feeling of an order.</p>
<h3 id="examples-1">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>是 <em>啊</em> ，我 也 觉得 ！<span class="pinyin">Shì <em>a</em>, wǒ yě juéde! </span><span class="trans">Definitely, I think so too! </span></li>
<li>行 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Xíng <em>a</em>!</span><span class="trans">All right! </span></li>
<li>可以 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Kěyǐ <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">It's fine!</span></li>
<li>小心 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Xiǎoxīn <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">Be careful!</span></li>
<li>吃 <em>啊</em> ！<span class="pinyin">Chī <em>a</em>! </span><span class="trans">Eat some! </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="啊-a-used-in-questions">啊 (a) Used in Questions</h2>
<p>Finally, it can be used with questions, again with a sense of urgency or concern for the listener.</p>
<h3 id="examples-2">Examples</h3>
<div class="liju">
<ul>
<li>你 走 不 走 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Nǐ zǒu bu zǒu <em>a</em>? </span><span class="trans">Are you going or what? </span></li>
<li>你 吃 不 吃 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ chī bu chī <em>a</em>? </span><span class="trans">Are you eating or not? </span></li>
<li>谁 说 的 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Shéi shuō de <em>a</em>? </span><span class="trans">Who said so? </span></li>
<li>你 傻 <em>啊</em> ？<span class="pinyin">Nǐ shǎ <em>a</em>? </span><span class="trans">What are you, stupid? </span></li>
<li>看 什么 <em>啊</em> ？没 见 过 漂亮 姑娘 <em>啊</em> ？ <span class="pinyin">Kàn shénme <em>a</em>? Méi jiàn guo piàoliang gūniang <em>a</em>?</span><span class="trans">What are you looking at? Have you never seen a pretty girl before? </span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li><a href="Questions_with_ne" title="wikilink">Questions with ne</a></li>
<li><a href="Suggestions_with_ba" title="wikilink">Suggestions with ba</a></li>
<li><a href="Listing_Things_with_&quot;a&quot;" title="wikilink">Listing Things with &quot;a&quot;</a></li>
</ul>
<h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2>
<h3 id="books">Books</h3>
<ul>
<li><a href="A_Practical_Chinese_Grammar_For_Foreigners_(外国人实用汉语语法)" title="wikilink">A Practical Chinese Grammar For Foreigners (外国人实用汉语语法)</a> (pp.142-3) <a href="http://www.amazon.cn/mn/detailApp?_encoding=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-23&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;asin=B001J0ADWA&amp;camp=536&amp;creative=3132&amp;creativeASIN=B001J0ADWA">→buy</a></li>
<li><a href="Integrated_Chinese:_Level_2,_Part_2" title="wikilink">Integrated Chinese: Level 2, Part 2</a> (pp. 51-4) <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0887276881/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=allset-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=390957&amp;creativeASIN=0887276881">→buy</a></li>
</ul>
<p>      </p>
<p><a href="Category:_A2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category: A2 grammar points</a> <a href="Category:_Particles" title="wikilink">Category: Particles</a></p>